Objective: To report the usefulness of a side-hole on a guiding catheter for transvenous embolization of transverse-sigmoid sinus (TSS) dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVF) by a contralateral approach with a reversed Y-shaped confluence.
Clinical presentation: A 66-year-old woman presented after an epileptic seizure. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed venous infarctions of the left temporal area. Angiography showed a DAVF in the left TSS with retrograde drainage toward the superior sagittal sinus and remarkable cortical reflux.
Intervention: A transvenous approach through the right jugular vein was attempted after failure of the approach through the angiographically invisible left jugular vein. Catheterization beyond the confluence failed because the shape of the confluence was a reversed Y. A 5-French catheter with a side-hole was then placed in the superior sagittal sinus from the right TSS, and the microcatheter was successfully navigated into the left TSS through the side-hole. Subsequently, the DAVF was completely occluded by transvenous embolization without any adverse events.
Conclusion: A side-hole on a guiding catheter was found to be useful for the navigation of a microcatheter to override a reversed Y-shaped confluence in transvenous embolization of TSS DAVF. This technique could be applicable to difficult configurations for transvenous catheterization, although attention should be paid to disruption of the catheter.